Army finishes sorting haredi youths to be drafted in 2013. 'Army invested a lot in their enlistment,' says Major General Barbivai

Yoav Zitun|Published: 03.01.13 , 19:45

Some 3000 haredi youths have been presented with draft notices and are set to be enlisted for military service in August 2013, said Major General Orna Barbivai, commander of the IDF
Manpower Directorate, on Thursday.

The IDF successfully finished sorting the 3000 youths, who were born on 1994 and 1995. Following the Tal Law's
expiration, the IDF will draft for the first time thousands of haredim
in accordance with the mandatory army service law.

The number of haredi draftees is set to rise, potentially reaching 8000 a year, though some will not be enlisted due to medical exemptions or residence abroad. In 2012 some 1400 haredim enlisted in the IDF, but only for voluntary non-committal service.

Major General Barbivai
said: "We were asked to summon all those born in 1994 and 1995, and we are very invested in their successful enlistment. We will keep adjusting the draft criteria at the recruitment offices for haredi youth, and we operate under the assumption that the Security Service Law will be resolved for good."

She also added that "the haredi youths are cooperating and showing up for their draft notices. These 3000 will be enlisted according to policy makers' decisions. We have prepared teams of officers, combat frameworks, and bases for them, all approved by the chief of staff."

Barbivai also called for the initiation of programs to encourage the draft in haredi cities, which have the lowest number of draftees in Israel.